Not a single job has been created at employment sites allocated in Teignbridge’s Local Plan adopted five years ago, it has been revealed.

The Local Plan allocated 67 hectares of employment land to be delivered across the district in the plan that runs from 2013 until 2033.

But Thursday’s full council meeting heard that to date, five years since the plan was adopted and a quarter of the way through its life, none of the sites allocated have yet been delivered.

Cllr Tim Golder, the portfolio holder for economy and skills, said that planning permission was been granted for around a third of the sites, but for various reasons, none had yet been delivered.

He also added though that since the Local Plan was adopted, there has been a net increase of 34,000 sqm of employment land in Teignbridge – the majority of it in small scale developments in rural areas – and that the number of jobs in Teignbridge has risen from 52,000 in 2014 to 59,000 in 2017, and unemployment has decreased from four per cent to 2.5 per cent.

Cllr Gordon Hook, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, and who had asked the question, said the answer was ‘hugely disappointing’ as the Local Plan was sold on the idea of producing a community that was sustainable, reducing impact of outward migration, and that people would live and work here.

He added: “Sadly that has been a myth and been shown to be untrue, and has been a catalogue of disappointing failure. We were sold the need for all the new houses on the fact that we needed homes for all the people who were coming to live and work here, but it seems we have become a dormitory for Exeter and Plymouth.”

Cllr Hook also called for the current rate of housebuilding to be slowed down and the focus to be on low cost affordable housing instead, saying that the justification for it and has been proved to a fallacy.

Cllr Golder said that planning permission had been granted on around one third of the 67 hectares of site but the reasons they hadn’t been delivered were outside the control of the council.

He said: “The reasons for non-delivery vary, but the most common themes are high opening up costs for road access and utilities, particularly power supply, lack of funding, and willingness of the land owner. Work is on-going in both the planning and economic development teams to help bring the sites forward.

“The recent award of £55m from the Housing Infrastructure Fund, secured by Devon County Council, included money for a new roundabout and upgrade to the electricity supply to open up the site at Peamore. Other infrastructure funding secured, such as the South Devon Link Road and the A382 improvements and will directly and indirectly unlock more development and employment opportunities around Newton Abbot.

“Since the Local Plan was adopted there has been a net increase of 34,000 sqm, equivalent to 6,800 sqm per year (compared with 12,000 sqm Local Plan target). The majority of delivery has been in rural areas, which are made up of many small scale developments.

“Work is ongoing with site promoters to help bring forward the sites that have planning permissions, but for Teignbridge to actively bring forward the sites would involve additional staff resources, which is potentially high risk for the council as it would require significant investment with no guarantee of a return.”

Asked how many new jobs had been created as a consequence, Cllr Golder said no new jobs had directly been created, but based on ONS data, the number of jobs in Teignbridge had risen by 7,000 since the Local Plan was adopted, unemployment had dropped, and job density was up nearly 10 per cent.

He added: “The jobs situation in Teignbridge does look very strong, so the premise that houses are not needed is not valid.” Below is a table showing the progress (or lack of it) made on the Local Plan allocated sites

Outlining permissions granted for a site of 0.72 hectares with the site being marketed. Land at Forches Cross will come forward once the A382 improvements have been undertaken

NA2 Whitehill

2 hectares

Site won’t be delivered as the A382 alignment runs through the site – a financial contribution to employment has been accepted

NA3 Wolborough

10 hectares

Planning application has been rejected by the council but is currently subject to an appeal

NA4 Milber

8 hectares

Reserved matters application approved in 2014 but there are issues relating to opening up costs, specifically the road access

NA10 Bradley Lane

15,000 sqm

Site is part of the Bradley Lane regeneration plans but work not expected to begin for two years

KS1 Sands Copse

16.4 hectares

Part of the site is still an active quarry but there is commercial interest in the site

KK1 Torquay Road and Embury Close

0.5 hectares

Planning consent for the housing scheme granted but employment allocation won’t come forward. A financial contribution will form part of the s106 agreement

SWE2 – Peamore

5 hectares

Reserved matters planning approved, as has a further 15 hectares for the site. Issues relating to opening up costs linked to access and power have prevented delivery, but the HIF should open up the sitr